German football referee Pascal Kaiser has been assaulted at his home just one week after proposing to his boyfriend in front of tens of thousands of football fans — an attack widely condemned as homophobic and deeply alarming.
Kaiser proposed to his partner Moritz on the pitch at RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne ahead of a Bundesliga match between FC Köln and VfL Wolfsburg. The moment, witnessed by nearly 50,000 spectators, quickly went viral online.
While the proposal was celebrated by many, it also triggered a wave of abuse. According to L’Équipe, Kaiser received explicit threats, some of which referenced his home address. He reported the messages to police, who advised there was no immediate danger.
Just 20 minutes after speaking with police, however, Kaiser was attacked.
While standing in his garden smoking, three men assaulted him, striking his face and causing an injury to his right eye. Police intervened following the attack, and Kaiser has since been placed under police protection at a safe location.
Widespread Condemnation and Support
Spanish LGBTQ+ activist and senator Carla Antonelli shared an image of Kaiser’s injuries on Instagram, writing:
“Terrible message: if you make yourself visible, we’ll put you back in the closet.
Referee Pascal Kaiser, who proposed to his partner before the Cologne–Wolfsburg match, was assaulted at his home… Police intervened after the attack and Pascal Kaiser is now in a safe place under police protection.”
FC Köln also issued a strong statement condemning the assault:
“FC Köln condemns the attack on Pascal Kaiser and wishes him a speedy recovery.
The sheer hatred behind this cowardly attack confirms in a horrific way just how important our commitment is against any form of violence.
As 1. FC Köln, we stand for acceptance, diversity and equality — in sport and in society, on the pitch and in everyday life.
LIVE THE WAY YOU ARE!”
“A Man Loving a Man in Football”
Kaiser, who came out as bisexual in 2021, is one of only a small number of openly LGBTQ+ referees in professional football. He has consistently used his visibility to challenge homophobia in the sport.
During his proposal, Kaiser said he wanted people to see “a man loving a man in football.”
He has previously spoken about how coming out strengthened him on and off the pitch:
“Since coming out, I’ve been much more open on the pitch. I don’t hide anything anymore, and that makes me stronger, not weaker.
We have to dare to be fully present.”
The attack has reignited urgent conversations about safety, visibility, and anti-LGBTQ+ violence in European football — and the risks still faced by queer people who choose to live openly.
